Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-27
Knlfing In Two Districts.


Ellis, Kaufman, Dallas, Tarrant, Hill,
johnson and Bosque counties comprise
the Sixth, and Washington, Burleson,
Milan, Bell, Falls, McLennan, Limestone
and Navarro counties comprise the Ninth
Congressional district. Gin the Sixth
district in the last Congressional cleo
ton the Democratic majority was G352
out of vote Of 50 ,0lS in the district. and
in the Ninth the Democratic nominee re-
caived majority of 56I7 votes, the to-
tai vote of the district being 2S,505,
and in the two districts showing
12,1G9 Democratic majority But in
the same election the Democratic
nominee for Governor received majority
Of %, 97S votes in the two districts. His
nomination was-like the nominations Of
congressman made by convention
Against him ran Republican nominee
and an independent Prohibitioniste and
against the two nominees for Congress
Republicans and Prohibit onists were
also working. IN the late election on
the prohibition amendment there is every
reason to believe that the 1913 so-called
Democrats who had voted for Ross
and voted against Abbott and
Mills in the election last fall, again, in
spirit to continue their abandonment OF
Democratic pIinciI les, voted for prohibi-
ton. It is st any rate demonstrable that
the SO called Democrats who voted
for Ross and against Mills voted
against their congressional nominee be-
cause he was opposed to prohibition, and
10 Is quite certain that the prohibition idea
vas at the bottom Of the Democratic defec-
ton in A6bOt'S district. And now,
prohibition having come to stay and
hav ng decided to continue its organization
aud agitation, Is it prudent to permit
the gradual and certain Decentralization of
the Democratic party through the efforts
OF the pretended non-political prohibition
movement? A movement that cost the
nominees OF the Democratic party 1873
votes In two districts may not be a politi
cal movement, but 1t is evidently q move
ment inimical to the Democracy. These
1873 voters who are bowling against
Mr.. Mills proposition to draw line
upon prohibition in the party have by
their votes against Democratic
nominees already read themselves
out OF the party. They haye proven
| themselves unreliable Democrats. They
can not be depended upon to vote for
Democratic nominees for Governor or
presidential electors. They must rule or
| they will destroy their party. There vas
some warrant for their vote on prohibi-
ton, because the party had refused to
declare upon that question, but there was
no warrant, excuse or apology for their
votes against Mills snd Abbott, because
| the party had declared for these candi-
dates. They are no more reliable as
| Democrats than the 1900 colored voters
in Harrison county who voted for Ross
are reliable as Democrats. II the Demo-
cratic party in Texas is to look for
success to such a class of voters il is on
the road to defeat. Even now, while
these so-called Democrats are protesting
against the charge of disloyalty made
against them for their votes against Mr.
Mills, their leaders serve notice that they
have blacklisted him for sill the future.
This element Of discord and dissension Is
controlled by prejudice and hatred, and is
not responsive to party rules, party dis
cipline or party principles. 1t appears
suicidal to tolerate in the party
councils an element so dangerous
and unreliable. IL the Democratic
party can dispense with these voters il
congressional elections they are not re.
CURED in elections tor state officers an(
presidential electors. 1t appears more
important from the Democratic standpoint
that Texas should maintain solid Dem
ocretic delegation in Congress than sol
i'd Democratic state government, and thi
has been shown possible without the vot
of the malcontent element. Neither ex
pediency nor considerations Of justice an
morals oppose such action as will eXclud
from Democratic councils those VIII
} habitually reject the nominees Of tn
party.